Thursday, January 28, 2010

Think of and look at your work as though it were done by your enemy. If you look at it to admire it you are lost...If we look at it to see where it is wrong, we shall see this and make it righter. If we look at it to see where it is right, we shall see this and shall not make it righter. We cannot see it both wrong and right at the same time.~ Samuel Butler

In yesterday's post I addressed the writing insecurities we all feel at one time or another. Clearly, we all have them. Some of us are better at dealing with those feelings than others, but we've all experienced them.

Are we being unfair to ourselves when we worry a lot about mistakes or foggy sections? No. We're 100% in the right! Marianne Moore said, "A writer is unfair to himself when he is unable to be hard on himself." I don't know about you, but each time I read that, I find myself going whew! inside. It gives me permission to worry. It somehow blesses the repetitive cycle of revising and revising and revising.

Today, I give you free reign to be a little hard on yourself. In fact, I wish you joy as you bang your head against the wall. Mwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Do you ever feel like this? I think no matter how comfortable we are with what we've written, there is always that moment before someone else reads it when we feel compelled to justify, to excuse, to protect ourselves from harm.

I had a conversation similar to this with my composition class yesterday. Writing is meant to be a personal process. It comes from somewhere within our deepest selves, so we feel a need to protect and defend - ourselves even more than our words. All writing is a risk. Writers willingly balance on the most fragile limbs of the tree, waiting to fall or be lifted to more solid footing. Scary stuff sometimes. Worth it? Absolutely.

Do you ever find yourself on auto-pilot, justifying or defending your work to protect the writer inside you?

Monday, January 25, 2010

I feel compelled to share with you one of my favorite industry blogs. Many of you often refer to Brendan Deneen and Rachelle Gardner, both fabulous sites, but I have another favorite to add.

Getting Past the Gatekeeper is hosted by an unknown literary agent and is full of the good, bad, and ugly on all things industry related: the do's and don'ts of querying, self-publishing, social networking, publicizing/marketing your book, E-Readers... the works. She (at least I think it's a she) answers reader questions and is absolutely hilarious most of the time. I never get tired of it.

It's a truckload full of good info! Check it out. Leave some comments (There are never as many comments given as the posts deserve!)

Friday, January 22, 2010

Margie Gelbwasser came up with "Follow your Fun" as a way to look at revision. I love it, so I borrowed it. Thanks, Margie.

Yesterday Nisa asked me if there would be a Part II to my "symptoms and prescriptions" for revision. She asked for some tips to make revision FUN. Whoa, the pressure... Well, I gave it some thought, did some searching, and here are my favorite suggestions. Nisa, this one's for you!

Treat the revision process as an adventure. Allow yourself to have bad days (what heroes don't?), and let yourself experiment and fail and try again. Everything you do or try has value. You never know where those "aha!" moments will come from.

To help you see your writing differently, change the font,change the font size, change the color, and/or the s p a c i n g. You can play with font as often as you like, because it's so easy to change it back.

Create a cover for your manuscript (something Bethany does very well, so she's a great resource for this) and then write a back cover critic's review for it. Feel free to gush about your book - no one needs to see it but you. The point: give yourself something positive to look at when you're feeling frustrated.

Move around. Don't limit yourself to the same working space day after day after day. You don't want your revision efforts to feel like solitary confinement. Sit in your favorite chair, go to your favorite coffee shop or local hang-out, work in the tub with some bubbles and soft music... whatever is relaxing or different.

Make yourself a revision "survival kit". Include things like colored pens and highlighters, colored sticky notes in various sizes, your favorite beverages and treats, maybe some music or hand lotion. Again, be creative!

Assign yourself a few specific tasks each time you revise. Don't try to tackle everything every time. Why set yourself up for a headache?

If you are banging your head against the wall, unable to think clear thoughts, TAKE A BREAK. Walk away, eat chocolate, call a friend, read some blogs, whatever - but clear your mind. Set a timer so you don't stop for too long. Breakthroughs come when we least expect them.

Save all revisions. If you feel like you're losing the energy in your story, your drafts are your safety net. Go back to the last draft that had energy, that excited you.

Think positive! Revision will make your story stronger. YOU have the tools to make it better. Give yourself every motivation you need to dig in and do the work.

Spoil yourself. Set small goals along the way and then spoil yourself rotten when you meet them.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

As we are all sometimes painfully aware, writing = revision. Today I thought I'd provide some revision, trouble-shooting symptoms and prescriptions, all taken (and slightly adapted) from Barry Lane's, After The End. (Enjoy his humorous Latin terms - they crack me up!)

1. Delusions of First-Draft Grandeur(Reluctant Revisititus - Latin)

Symptoms: Writer feels no need to revise any of his writing except to spell words correctly. Writer's eyes glaze over when the word revision is mentioned.

Prescription: Know that writing is revision; use leads and details to find new angles; explode moments. Understand that it may not be time to revise yet. Let it sit. Know that it doesn't have to be written over to be revised. Before any revisions are made, praise and enjoy what there is.

2. Dialogue-arhea(Looses-lipsus - Latin)

Symptoms: Writing suffers from an excess of flat dialogue that doesn't move the story along.

Prescription: Replace some dialogue with exposition and add snapshot-quality details to make real scenes.

3. Bouts of Vagueness

Symptom: Writing gets vague in places for no apparent reason.

Prescription: Determine if the vagueness is a result of missing details or an unsure purpose. Vagueness is often a necessary stage for writers who are exploring uncertain territory.

4. Uncut Words(Editophobia / Editomalaise - Latin)

Symptoms: Writer is afraid to edit her own work or is bored with editing.

Prescription: Find ways to make editing both routine and fun.

Other great revision tips from Barry (for yourself or when critiquing the work of others):

Be more interested in what is NOT on the paper

Never be afraid to be critical. Know when to be a tough editor and when to be a nurturing reader.

Remember that too much unqualified praise can be as damaging to a writer as flat rejection.

Never tell a writer a paper is done. Always point out more suggestions for revision.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

It's official! Courtney @ Southern Princess is my friend. I even have an award to prove it.

I feel special. Special is good. Special should be shared so that others feel special. Isn't that what a blog circle is for - cheering, encouraging, commiserating, praying, celebrating, crying, and writing...TOGETHER.

Sing it with me:

Keep smilin'Keep shinin'

Knowin' you can always count on meFor sureThat's what friends are for

In good timesAnd bad timesI'll be on your side forever moreThat's what friends are for

The rules for this are a mystery. Apparently the only requirement is the sharing and passing of friendship. THAT I can do. There are so many I would love to give this award to, but I know it wouldn't mean as much if I just give it to everybody (even though I'd like to).

Sooooo, this time I will pass the award to five bloggers I have come to think of as true friends - as people I would love to have coffee with and chit-chat with on the phone everyday and shop with and...you know, girl stuff! (No offense, Simon. You know I love ya!) Princess, if this award had not come from you, you'd be on my list. You rock!

1. Roxane @ Peace Garden Mama - I feel like I've known you for years. I can't believe how strong a friendship can be despite the limits of online communication. You have become a very special and valued friend. Thank you.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

"Zest. Gusto. How rarely one hears these words used. How rarely do we see people living, or for that matter, creating by them. Yet if I were asked to name the most important items in a writer's make-up, the things that shape his material and rush him along the road to where he wants to go, I could only warn him to look to his zest, see to his gusto." ~ Ray Bradbury

As for the writers in our blogging circle, I don't think this is much of an issue. You guys are full of zest and gusto about your writing (most days!). But I do think there are many writers out there who forget they are supposed to enjoy the process, to be enthusiastic and proactive. There are days when writing becomes work, when it feels more like drudgery than fun. On those days, "look to your zest, see to your gusto."

Friday, January 15, 2010

"Before we had the alphabet, we drew to communicate with others."Barry Lane

In After THE END, author Barry Lane suggests a strategy he calls "cavewriting" as a way to bring our characters to life. He reminds us that drawing pictures is an effective way to utilize a different part of our brains when we write and revise.Whether a great artist or a stick-figure doodler, getting images of characters, thoughts, emotions, questions down on paper is vital to seeing a story as more than words. Here are some suggested cavewriting ideas from After THE END:

Cavewrite the big moment

Cavewrite the end of the story

Cavewrite the moral of the story

Cavewrite the central question

Cavewrite a snapshot of your MC

Cavewrite an explodable moment (maybe include dialogue)

Another interesting strategy he suggests is called "moment mapping". To do this, first make a list of the key moments of your story. Put each moment on its own index card and shuffle them. Arrange the moments in front of you in a variety of different orders. Here, he suggests we take risks and begin in the middle or at the end sometimes. Then, reflect. How did rearranging your moments change your story?

Thursday, January 14, 2010

In honor of Shannon M.'s poetry day, I promised to post a poem.This is a shortened version of one of my favorites.

The Skin We’re In Shannon O’Donnell

The skin we're in, it limits usIt keeps us bound to earth and dustWe can’t step out of bones and skinTo reach beyond the space we’re inWe’re meant to place our hope and trustIn One who loves each one of us

In prayers is where God wants to hearOf all the things we need down hereDon’t be afraid to turn His wayAnd pray to God with love todayFor peace, for health, for familyFor courage, friends, or to be free

Send loving thoughts and pleas for helpTo those too far to reach yourselfThe skin we’re in can’t stretch as farAs God’s embrace, His loving armsHe reaches out to those in needWhen prayers request He intercede

God hears us when we pray in faithFor help to guide the human raceWe need to pray more often, thoughSo Grace and Truth can help us growBow your heads and fold your handsAnd pray to God, who understands

The skin we’re in may limit usAnd keep us bound to earth and dustBut prayer is more than bones and skinAnd reaches past the space we’re inIn God we place our faith and trustThat He may bless each one of us

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

VR Barkowski is a super-sweetheart, and she gifted me with this deliciously happy award. The rules are simple: Share ten things that make you happy, and pass along to ten blogs that make you happy. It's all about happiness!

Thursday, January 7, 2010

For if dreams dieLife is a broken-winged birdThat cannot fly."~ Langston Hughes

While blog-hopping yesterday, I noticed there were more posts than usual about feelings of frustration, disappointment, and uncertainty. No, no, no, no, no. We all have those feelings, probably more often than we like to admit (me included), but I can never leave it at that. Thanks to Roni's post about personality types yesterday, I now understand why. I have a protector/guardian personality, driven to be everyone's personal cheer princess! So here's a bit of cheer.

The Will to Win

If you want a thing bad enoughTo go out and fight for it,Work day and night for it,Give up your time and your peace and your sleep for it

If only desire of itMakes you quite mad enoughNever to tire of it,Makes you hold all other things tawdryand cheap for it

If life seems all empty and useless without itAnd all that you scheme and you dream is about it,

If gladly you'll sweat for it,Fret for it, Plan for it,Lose all your terror of God or man for it,

If you'll simply go after that thing that you wantWith all your capacity,Strength and sagacity,Faith, hope and confidence, stern pertinacity,

If neither cold poverty, famished and gaunt,Nor sickness nor painOf body or brainCan turn you away from the thing that you want,

If dogged and grim you besiege and beset it,You'll get it!

~Berton Braley

I challenge you to think positive thoughts only today - to hold so tightly to your dreams that your hands cramp and your knuckles turn white.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Last Sunday Stephanie @ Hatshepsut wrote a post called "Truth or Dare". Her question to us? "Now it's your turn, if you dare. What is your biggest weakness as a writer?"

Her question was an easy one for me to answer, but only because of the recent critique I received from Angela @ The Bookshelf Muse, who opened my eyes and changed how I write. My answer to Stephanie? Here is my response, copied from her comments page.

With the help of a wonderful critique I won recently, I've realized that I *hangs head shamefully* am an adverbaholic. Yes, it's true. I tend to overindulge in the tempting cop-out of adverbs, causing me to tell more than I should and show less than I must. So sad. I have checked myself into treatment with my first critique group (thank you, Valerie and Bethany) and am hoping for a full recovery.

I tried to address it with humor, but it's not funny at all. I am not alone, though, which makes me feel a little better. William Zinsser, in On Writing Well, says:

The secret of good writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components. Every word that serves no function, every long word that could be a short word, every adverb which carries the same meaning that is already in the verb, every passive construction that leaves the reader unsure of who is doing what - these are the thousand and one adulterants that weaken the strength of a sentence.

His answer? Simplify, simplify. I have returned to Zinsser to improve my chances for a full adverbaholic recovery (and other issues found above), but I have learned that we don't see things in our own writing that we could point out in only a heartbeat in someone else's. My answer, then, is to enlist the eyes of others (like Valerie and bethany!).

I know that most of you have a critique group or partners already, but if not, you are missing a valuable opportunity to become better at your craft. Check out yesterday's post at Chatterbox Chit Chat. Lynnette's post shares info about Writers on Writing, a networking opportunity designed to support writer's on their journey.

D.L. Hammons is recycling blogposts right now. Check it out here. I included a different post at DL's, but it got me thinking. This is another of my favorite posts and one I thought was worthy of a little recycling. I hope you enjoy it!

Sorry: longer than normal post

One of my favorite writing lessons actually comes from a poem. Alexander Pope, in his poem "Sound and Sense", offers insight and instruction for better writing. It is some of the best and toughest writing advice I've ever discovered. In it, he begins by reminding us that writing is a skill, one requiring learning and practice - truly great writing is not accidental. But he takes it even further, which I love.

Pope asserts that the best writing is accomplished when we are able to echo our content's meaning in the sound and quality of our words.

For example, if our MC is struggling with a mighty task, the reading should require moreeffort as well:

"But when loud surges lash the sounding shore,The hoarse, rough verse should like the torrent roar."

Pay attention to the effort required by your mouth and tongue to speak those lines. Try to say them quickly, without dropping any letter sounds. They MUST be read slowly. His letter and syllable combinations require more effort, resulting in slower pronunciation.

But if things are moving along smoothly and life is wonderful, Pope says our writing fluency should also flow smoothly and easily:

"Soft is the strain, when Zephyr gently blows,And the smooth stream in smoother numbers flows;"

OR

"Not so, when swift Camilla scours the plain,Flies o'er the unbending corn and skims along the main.

Now pay attention to the effort required to speak those lines. Try to say them quickly. No problem, right? Genius!

What impresses me most about Pope's message is not the value of his lesson (which I find priceless). I am most impressed by the way he manages to not only teach us what we should do, but also show us what he means, simultaneously. It blows. my. mind.

To actually apply the skills Pope shows us is far easier said than done. Specificity of word choice and a deliberate awareness of rhythmic fluency are required. Both take time and practice. The payoff in our craft, however, could not be measured.

A modern example can be found in the first few pages of What Jamie Saw, by Carolyn Coman. She uses fluency and words to create a powerful feeling of anxiety in the reader, one so strong we can't help but turn the page. William Steig does it in his picture book Shrek, to both advance and slow the reader. I've discovered this technique in many books, and I am awed by it every time.

For your edification and reading pleasure, here is the complete poem:

True ease in writing comes from art, not chance,As those move easiest who have learned to dance.'Tis not enough no harshness gives offense,The sound must seem an echo to the sense:Soft is the strain when Zephyr gently blows,And the smooth stream in smoother numbers flows;But when loud surges lash the sounding shore,The hoarse, rough verse should like the torrent roar;When Ajax strives some rock's vast weight to throw,The line too labors, and the words move slow;Not so, when swift Camilla scours the plain,Flies o'er the unbending corn, and skims along the main.Hear how Timotheus' varied lays surprise,And bid alternate passions fall and rise!

What do you think? Can you think of any examples when you may have seen this technique?

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

We are cups, constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out.

~ Ray Bradbury

Isn't this quote perfect? It is one of my favorites. It makes me think of Wordsworth and the poem I shared with you not long ago.

We are always living, learning, observing, remembering, feeling things - every moment, awake or asleep. Think about it. Awake AND asleep, we are being filled. But with what? Humanity. Literature - all of it - is meant to teach us what it means to be human. Even most animal stories are told through human personification. We are being filled with the human condition, which for writers, is the very breath of our craft.

I love to remind myself periodically that everything - good, bad, or otherwise - is food for my imagination. Every experience, every snowfall, every kidism I laugh at, is breathing "life" into my stories. Yes, we sometimes make stuff up, but it all centers around a broader human message. I love that! Whatever you experience today, may it bring you ideas galore.

What are some tricks you use to let out the beautiful stuff life fills you with?

Sunday, January 3, 2010

I used the Class Tools"Random Name Picker"to select the winners of my 100 followers celebration contest. I wasn't clever enough to figure out how to copy the image with the winner's name like Sherrie did, so you'll just have to trust me.

Thank you to everyone who participated in my first blog contest. I had fun, and I hope you did too.

Without further delay (because I know you've all scanned down to see who the winners are already), the winners are:

Blog Schedule

SHANNON O'DONNELL

I have a master's degree in Education and teach high school English in Montana, where I live with my husband and three children.
On the writing side of things, I am the author of two picture books and a middle grade novel and am represented by Terrie Wolf of AKA Literary.
CONTACT ME AT: mrso_d at yahoo dot com.